Four years in Leith did nothing for his north-east accent, but it did everything for his sense of footballing contentment — and there’s joy for Murphy at being involved again at Easter Road.

He said: “I had three and a half years with Hibs and they were the happiest times of my life.

“It was a young vibrant squad and, at the time, managed by a young vibrant boss Tony Mowbray.

“He brought back the feelgood factor to the club and there were some brilliant young talents in the likes of Scott Brown, Kevin Thomson, Steven Whittaker, Derek Riordan and Garry O’Connor.

“Middlesbrough were my club as a kid. I played for them from eight year old. My uncle was a mad Boro fan, he used to buy me a season ticket and we’d go along and watch. It was the days of Juninho, Ravanelli, Emerson and Bryan Robson.

“I made my Boro debut in the League Cup against Northampton Town in September 2001 and I scored. It was actually 9-11, I think that’s the only reason I remember it. I was 17 and I think I’m the sixth youngest to play for the club.

“A few months later I played in the Premier League — a 2-1 win over Fulham — and also in the team were the likes of Gareth Southgate, Paul Ince, Alen Boksic and Benito Carbone.

“It was a thrill to play for Boro. But by far, my best spell as a player was at Hibs. We won the League Cup in 2007 and that was a magical day.

“By the end I wanted to return to the highest level in England and I signed for Alex McLeish’s Birmingham City where I’d get an League Cup medal, although as an unused sub.

“But if that Hibs team had stayed together we would have won the league.”

Murphy, like every player forced to prematurely hang up the boots, will always remember clearly the circumstances — and, of course, the shattering diagnosis.

He said: “I had six to nine months off after having to quit as a player and it was a tough time.

“The specialist told me straight if I continued playing I’d need a knee replacement within 12 months. I couldn’t ignore his words.

“It was the last thing I wanted to hear, especially at 30. You want to be able to play with your kids.

“There was no way I was going to jeopardise the quality of my future life and the consequences of that for my family. There’s more to life than football.

“However, I was stunned that at just 30 I was finished as a footballer. It was hard to take.

“When you’re a player you soon get into a routine. You know what you’re doing every day and everything’s taken care of. You plan your month out. Routine is key to a footballer’s life, it’s something I’ve always had.

“So when suddenly it’s not there, and you’re having to find your own path, it’s extremely difficult.

“As a footballer you’re basically told where to be and what time to be there.

“The hardest part of retiring from football is trying to keep yourself busy, maintain a sense of daily purpose.

“When I finished at Birmingham City we decided to move back to the north-east, thinking it would be better for the kids growing up and they could also be closer to their grandparents.

“But it’s probably not been a great move for us and that’s more to do with opportunities for me being very limited.

“For that first year my wife would say I was generally frustrated, getting up in the morning and not having a real purpose. But I needed that time to reflect, to deal with my 14 years in the game being over. To come to terms with it all.

“I had my low points, although never depression. I still had down days because you can’t replace what football gives you. But, ultimately, I told myself there were others far worse off than me.

“By and large I’m a happy person, I look at the positives. The bottom line is I still had 14 years as a player and played for great clubs, playing at the highest level and winning a few medals. I’m very grateful for that.

Murphy won League Cup with Hibs in 2007, beating Kilmarnock 5-1 in Hampden fiinal

“I had to pick myself up. I couldn’t feel sorry for myself. But I still had to make sense of it all in my mind. Some guys, though, have to retire at 20 and don’t even get a career. I got the dreaded verdict on my knee injury just after Christmas, 2013. It’s approaching the third anniversary.

“The actual injury was cartilage related. It was an impact injury. November, 2012, I went in for a normal tackle in a game against Ipswich. I won the ball, but somehow my knee twisted and I ended up with a hole in my cartilage.

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I didn’t like screen test

FOR many, the chance to spend days watching football on a laptop and be paid for it sounds like a dream job.

But for David Murphy it became too much to bear.

So he quit his post within Middlesbrough’s recruitment department earlier this year.

Since then Murphy has dabbled with a few business interests and also reconnected with Hibs, often travelling from his Yorkshire home to be a match-day host at Easter Road.

Shirt sponsors Marathonbet are paying for a fleet of 11 buses to take Hibees fans to Greenock on December 17 for the match against Morton.

Joining them on the journey will be club legends Murphy, Mickey Weir, Jim Leighton, Kevin Thomson and Pat Stanton.

Murphy, who could move to Edinburgh early next year, said: “At Boro, I’d have the responsibility of keeping an eye on what players were emerging in League One and Two and Scotland.

“I’d sit and watch footage of games over the weekend on my laptop. But I eventually found that the hardest part, sat in the office watching game after game. I’m not one for sitting down for too long anyway.

“I started the job in February. But within six weeks I knew it wasn’t for me and I’ve never regretted it.

“But since then it’s been great to become involved with Hibs again. I was up for the League Cup Final and there’s been games this season too. It means a lot to be welcomed.”

Life and times

DAVID PAUL MURPHY was born on March 1, 1984, in Hartlepool.

He was brought up as a diehard Middlesbrough supporter and became a schoolboy signing at 13.

Murphy eventually progressed to the Riverside first team under Steve McClaren in 2001.

The powerful left-back made 16 appearances before joining Tony Mowbray’s Hibs on a free transfer in 2004 and really making his name.

He was part of a dynamic and exciting young side at Easter Road which featured the likes of Scott Brown, Garry O’Connor and Derek Riordan.

In four years at Easter Road he played 134 games and was part of the 2007 League Cup winning side, beating Kilmarnock 5-1 in the final. Celtic were interested in the ex-England youth ace but it was Alex McLeish who won his signature for Birmingham City in 2008, shelling out £1.8 million.

He was an unused sub for Brum in their sensational 2011 League Cup Final triumph over Arsenal.

Murphy suffered knee cartilage damage in November 2012 which was expected to keep him out for the rest of the season. After ten months out, he returned to first-team action in September 2013.

But sadly in 2014 — aged only 30 — he was forced to quit playing due to a knee injury.

Since then he had a brief spell as a Middlesbrough scout while he’s also been involved at Hibs as a match-day host.